The Redemption of Ari
by FringeDivision2008
Summary: Ari died with redemption of the past and all due to a woman who should have hated him. Learn how Kate gave Ari his redemption as he laid dying and afterwards. AU Kate doesn't die in Twilight.


Redemption

Spoilers: Twilight, Aliyah, Truth and Consequences, Rule Fifty-One

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or the characters...except the twins, else Kate would be alive and with Ari

* * *

His redemption came in the form of an angel, an angel with brunette hair and gray-green eyes. She saved him and he saved her, an unspoken truce that would lead to trouble but it was a truce they both loved by.

She helped him discover a life besides one of murder and kidnapping and he protected her in everyway. That fateful day on May 24, she should have died but he didn't allow it and shot back at the monster who was to kill her.

He watched their faces look around, looking for him but he was too far away for anyone to see. What mattered was his Caitlin was safe...safe from the enemy.

* * *

He was leaving when he felt it, the bullet hit his chest as if it was planned. He fell and the gun dropped, he knew his last breathe would be alone...his Caitlin would be forever haunted because he knew who drew the shot...his enemy and Caitlin's friend.

That's how he was found, gasping for breath...his left lung had collapsed because of the bullet, Gibbs came into his view and stood over him with a gun. It was only the scream that made Gibbs and everyone turn...his Caitlin's scream.

"No!" She rushed over and bent down, taking his hand. "Ari...Ari please."

He squeezed her hand and looked at Gibbs, "keep her safe...forever." He eyed Caitlin, "my Caitlin."

Those were his last words, his body lost too much blood...he died as Kate cried and held his hand tight. "No, no please." She stood and looked at Gibbs, she slapped him hard and cried harder. "Why, he saved me...why did you have...why?"

She collapsed by the body of her secret lover, the man she loved and the enemy of everything she was...American, NCIS and a daughter to Gibbs.

They watched as the terrorist who had saved Kate's life laid lifeless because of a man's vendetta against him. They watched as the terrorist's NCIS lover cried over his body and that was the day everything turned upside down.

* * *

She left NCIS, never to return and not a word to them except in a letter that laid on Gibbs' desk.

Gibbs,

I'll never forgive you for what you have done. You killed the man I loved, the father of my child and I can't live with that.

You'll never see me again, I'm never contacting any of you but do me one last favor and tell Abby that she has no blame on her...and I'll always love her like a sister.

This is goodbye...forever.

Caitlin Todd, Former NCIS Special Agent

May 25, 2005

* * *

**Five Years Later**

Caitlin Haswari stood on the tarmac as the Tony, Gibbs, Ziva and Vance unloaded. They looked at her as she stood next to Amit Hadar, they were surprised to see her but she was not. She stepped to Ziva and kissed her cheek.

"Shalom _achot_."

"Shalom, it has been a while. How are Hasmia and Ari?"

"In school at the moment, I am sorry about Michael...he was a good officer. I know you cared for him deeply." She looked at the boys and Vance eyed her, questioning her. "May I introduced Officer Amit Hadar, welcome to Tel Aviv." Kate held out keys for Ziva and took her bag.

Vance looked at Gibbs, "who's that?"

"Officer Caitlin Haswari." Ziva spoke, "but NCIS knew her as Kate Todd...she is my sister-in-law, Ari's wife by all rights however a marriage never occurred because of Gibbs' bullet but she did take his last name for their children."

Hadar looked at Tony, "Agent DiNozzo, you will ride with me, it will give us a chance to get to know one another."

Tony left with Hadar and Gibbs eyed Vance, "I will get him back won't I?"

"Officer Hadar will not harm him, only three people have the authority to." Ziva looked at them.

"Your father's one, who are the other two?" Vance eyed her and she looked him in the eye.

"Me and Caitlin, she's quite handy at interrogations...the woman you knew is gone, she died with Ari. Our family opened to her, took her in and only a month ago became Israeli and an official Mossad Officer...she was temporary till it became official."

* * *

They were taken to Mossad and Tony placed in a room alone, till the door opened and Eli David stepped in, Kate behind him. She stood by the door as Eli sat down.

"Agent DiNozzo, I've heard alot about you, my daughters are quite well acquainted with you."

Tony eyed him, "first of all, Kate isn't your daughter and the fact she was with Ari is as much a betrayal to NCIS as your betrayal to Ziva, sending Michael Rivkin to seduce her into coming back."

"Caitlin?" Eli turned to her and she moved to Tony, "please, your techniques are well practiced and very useful at information."

Kate eyed Tony, "did you kill Michael Rivkin?"

"It was self defense Kate, he was drunk and out of control...I attempted to leave but he punched me. Everything that went down from there was self-defense."

Kate eyed him, watching him. "Your emotions got the best of you, you should have listened to Gibbs' rules...rule twelve wasn't it...never date a co-worker? You should have listened Tony, now you suffer the alienation of Ziva and the harshness of Mossad interrogation." She pinched his injured shoulder and left. "He's all yours Eli."

"Thank you Caitlin."

Kate was found by Gibbs in the hall, Ziva with him. He eyed her, "why are you here Kate?"

"Ziva, I know alot has happened but if you find time, come by and see Hasmia and Ari...they wonder about their aunt. I don't have as many stories to tell of their father."

"I will try, shalom _achot_." She looked at Kate as the woman passed her, Ziva looked at Gibbs. "She won't listen to a word you say...you took her future from her...even if it was a secret. She loved him and he protected her, with his last breathe...you took him from her so she considers you the enemy."

**

* * *

**

September 2009

Ziva David sat on the plane to DC and looked at Tony and Gibbs, "thank you."

"Don't thank me, we had a bit of help." Gibbs smiled and turned to the front of the plane where they all saw Kate, she was sitting with two children, one on each side. "She convinced me to save you, something about not wanting to loose a sister after loosing her home. Your father nearly sent her on the mission...she knew then that he was really a monster and what he had done to Ari.

"I never shot him, I held the gun sure but I never shot him. Abby hacked into Mossad and retrieved the bullet information they pulled from Ari...it was Mossad. Kate said she felt betrayal and knew that he wanted her son and daughter, to train them like he trained you and Ari. She knows now that despite hating what she did behind everyone's back...she's family and we protect our own."

"Ari would thank you." Her voice raw but Ziva spoke from her heart, "for saving both me and Caitlin and especially their children."

* * *

**May 2010**

Ziva was welcomed by friends and family after her swearing in, however Tony and Gibbs weren't there. Her first hugs came from her five year old niece, Hasmia Zivyah Haswari and nephew, Ari Rashid Haswari.

"We'll be like you one day Aunt Ziva, we'll be American."

"You already are, your mother wasn't Israeli until after you were born. You're American already." She hugged her nephew, his spirit was so much like her sister, Tali while Hasmia or Mia as she was called, was stubborn and bright like Ari...so much so that she was often called by her nickname of 'Aria' which was a feminine form of Ari's name.

Ari had brown eyes and jet black hair, he looked like Ari has as a child while his sister, Mia had her mother's grey-green eyes and a lighter shade of hair...just between a light brunette and a light black.

Ziva knew Kate still suffered from Ari's death but she moved on and raised their children...giving Ari the redemption he deserved...the peace as well.

Ari died in the arms of the woman he loved even as he had been shot by Mossad. He had redemption by saving Kate's life, he wasn't a murderer as he laid dying but a man, a simple man with a dream to marry and carrying on a family. He had one but not the other, either way both Ziva and Kate knew each day Ari died with peace because Kate was there.

* * *

A/N: What did you think...keep Kate alive despite killing Ari...however we find out Gibbs didn't do it.


End file.
